Vehicle workstations are commonly used in delivery trucks to allow drivers to keep track of delivery routes, in police vehicles to allow officers access to electronic records and in other vehicles for like applications.
Conventional vehicle workstations include a base mounted to a vehicle dashboard or other internal vehicle fixture and one or more position-adjustable support members extending from the base to an equipment support plate on which display equipment is mounted. The workstation is usually mounted on the passenger side of a vehicle next to the driver.
A common problem with conventional workstations is that jolts and vibrations generated during vehicle operation are transmitted from the vehicle to the display equipment. The vibrations make it difficult for an operator to view the display. As the vehicle idles, the vehicle engine creates vibrations that are transmitted to internal vehicle fixtures and any equipment mounted to the fixtures. This effect is greatly amplified when a vehicle is suddenly stopped or maneuvered over rough roads as jolts are transmitted to the vehicle fixtures and any equipment mounted to the fixtures.
Additionally, the vibrations and jolts disrupt the position of the adjustable support members, requiring re-adjustment of the support members by the driver. The driver must reach from the driver-side of the vehicle to the passenger-side of the vehicle. Repeated re-adjustments can cause strain and injury to the driver.
Conventional vehicle workstations are mounted on vehicle fixtures by drilling fastener holes through the fixtures or otherwise permanently altering the vehicle interior. This is undesirable as the vehicle owner may prohibit permanent vehicle alterations and considerable time may be needed to install the workstation into a vehicle. These problems are amplified when drivers are called to switch between different work vehicles within a work schedule, requiring the driver to remove the workstation from one vehicle and re-install it in a new vehicle before work is resumed. It is also a problem if the driver is called to take on a passenger to sit in the passenger side of the vehicle as the workstation must be removed before the passenger can properly ride in the vehicle.